Nicolas Sarkozy narrowly avoided a critical political defeat last night when his flagship proposals to give the French constitution its biggest overhaul in half a century were passed by a margin of just one vote. The president, who has made the reform of key institutions a priority of his premiership, scraped to victory as 539 politicians came out in support of the changes, while 357 voted against. He had needed a majority of three-fifths - or 538 votes - for the reform to go through. As the result of the highly controversial ballot was read out, a collective murmur of surprise echoed around the chamber at Versailles, scene of the special session of France's MPs and senators. It had been unclear right up until the last moments which way the vote would go. For days the Elysée Palace has been rallying recalcitrant Gaullist members of Sarkozy's majority UMP party and urging those undecided to back the reforms.
Nicolas Sarkozy narrowly avoided a critical political defeat last night when his flagship proposals to give the French constitution its biggest overhaul in half a century were passed by a margin of just one vote.
The president, who has made the reform of key institutions a priority of his premiership, scraped to victory as 539 politicians came out in support of the changes, while 357 voted against. He had needed a majority of three-fifths - or 538 votes - for the reform to go through.
As the result of the highly controversial ballot was read out, a collective murmur of surprise echoed around the chamber at Versailles, scene of the special session of France's MPs and senators.
It had been unclear right up until the last moments which way the vote would go. For days the Elysée Palace has been rallying recalcitrant Gaullist members of Sarkozy's majority UMP party and urging those undecided to back the reforms.
The Elysée's unlikely saviour turned out to be Jack Lang, the former Socialist minister, who was the only member of his party to vote for the changes.
